Fuel feeding and accessory system for motor vehicles



Jan. 13, 1953 RAPPL 2,625,212

FUEL FEEDING AND ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed July 26, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVENTOR Anton Rap d ATTORNEYJ Jan. 13, 1953 RAPPL 2,625,212

FUEL FEEDING AND ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed July 26. 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig. .3.

| I INVENTOR I a L E a BY Anton v/"'ra 0 0/ @MM M M I ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1953 FUEL FEEDING AND ACCESSORY SYSTEM iron MOTOR VEHICLES Anton Rappl, Eggcrtsville, N. Y., assignor to Trico Products Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application July 26, 1947, Serial No. 763,839

This invention relates to an accessory system for a motor vehicle and more particularly to a fuel feeding system for the internal combustion engine thereof. The fuel feed system is of the gravity feed type in which a suction influence of the power plant is utilized for lifting the fuel from a rearwardly disposed gas supply-tank on the vehicle to an-elevated chamber from which the fuel may gravitate to the carburetor. such a system, generally, is very well known. It has certain advantages but as a whole it has been. disapproved because of its failure to maintain a uniform fiow of fuel to the engine by reason of the fluctuating characteristic of the source of suction.

The object of the present invention is to provide a gravity feed system which is practical and eh'icient in that it maintains a constant gravity flow at all times of engine operation. A further object of the invention is to providea fuel feeding system in which the suction or pressure influcues for elevating the fuel from the gas supply tank is available to an eflicient degree for reliable and uniform operation of the power plant.

The invention further has for its object to provide an accessory system in which the operating pressure is effective for the eflicient operation of one or more additional accessories either severally or jointly.

The foregoing and other objects will manifest themselves as the following description prograsses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing an accessory system constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view through the control switch of a secondary accessory;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through the Claims. (Cl. 158-361) pressure responsive control for the auxiliary source of operating pressure;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the vacuum tank;

'Fig. 5 is a view partly in section of a modified tank; and Fig. 6 'is a wiring diagram indicating the switches and devices includedin the showing of Fig; 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral I designates a motor vehicle engine having an intake manifold 2 and a carburetor 3 which has a jet or nozzle l leading from the usual -float chamber 5. The fuel supply tank 6 is connected by a pipe T to a vacuum or gravity-flow tank generally indicated at 3 which is elevated to deliver fuel to the carburetor by gravity through the pipe 9. The fuel is pneumatically lifted to the vacuum tank by the pressure differential between the outside atmosphere and an engine-provided pressure, such as the suction influence derived from-the intake manifold. This suction influence is communicated through a pipe in to the vacuum tank 8, and interposed in such passage Ill is an auxiliary source of negative pressure including a pump H driven by an electric motor [2.

This pump unit is conveniently mounted on the fire wall I3 of the motor vehicle by a bracket it. The pump may be of any approved style, that illustrated in Fig.- 3 having a rotor 85 eccentrically mounted within a chamber i6 and carrying impeller blades ll for intaking air through an inlet port I8 and expelling it through an outlet port IS. The motor is electrically driven from a source of electricity 20 to which it is connected by circuit wires 2| and a key controlled switch 22, which latter may be the ignition switch of the engine. The motor is grounded as at 23. Also interposed in the motor circuit is a pressure responsive switch which, as shown in Fig. 3, has a fixed contact 24 and a movable contact 25 carried by an arm 26. The outer end of the arm is slotted as at 2'! to receive the neck 28 of a stem 29 which in turn is operatively connected to a pressure responsive member 39 in the form of a plunger. The plunger is suitably guided by its rod 3| and is urged'upwardl'y to a circuit closing position by the coil spring 32. However, under normalconditions of suificient manifold suction, the plunger is withdrawn against the action of the spring 32 so as to open the switch 24, 25. The plunger works in a chamber 33 from which the passage l0 leads to the intake manifold. Also communicating with this chamber is the pump delivery port l9 which opens into a shunt passage 34 designed to shunt the airflow around the pump when the manifold suction is of a predetermined intensity. A spring seated check valve 35 is pro: vided in the shunt passage so as to prevent reverse flow through the shunt between the outlet and inlet of the pump. Communicating with the pump inlet I8 is an accessory connected passage Hi which extends to the vacuum tank 8; In the absence of manifold suction the pressure responsive switch is in closed condition so that whenever the ignition switch 22 is turned on by the receiving the fuel directly from the supply tank through an inlet port 31 that is normally closed by the valve 38 slidably guided on a stem 39. Arranged within the suction chamber 36 is a float 46 serving to actuate a snap-action device 4| for moving the valve element 42 to close the suction port 43 and simultaneously open the vent port 44 when the level of the liquid fuel within the float chamber 36 rises sufficiently. With the float chamber vented to the atmosphere, the liquid fuel will gravitate from the chamber 36 through an outlet 45 to the carburetor. The outlet opening 45 will be closed by a valve 46 during replenishment of the fuel supply in the chamber 35.

As the fuel level in the vacuum tank lowers, the float 40 will follow so as to trip the snap action 4! at a predetermined point in its descent to close the atmospheric vent 44 and reopen the suction communication 43 to the intake manifold. As the manifold suction influence is available, it will serve to refill the vacuum tank. However, should the vehicle power plant consume fuel faster than the manifold suction can supply it, the auxiliary source will come into action to make up the deficiency and thereby insure a prompt replenishment of the fuel supply in the chamber 36.

To this end a second switch is arranged in series with the first switch 24, 25 to confine the operation of the motor I2 to intervals of dire necessity and preclude its operation during intervals of low manifold suction when the fuel supply in the vacuum tank is ample. This second switch is responsive solely to the amount of the fuel supply. Consequently the suction or pressure responsive switch and the fuel supply responsive switch coordinate in the functioning of the auxiliary pressure supply. The fuel controlled switch may respond to the level of the fuel in the chamber 36, as shown in Fig. 5, wherein the float actuated snap action 4| is connected by a link 41 to the switch arm 48 for closing the electric circuit through the terminals 49 and 56.

Or the fuel controlled switch may respond to the weight or pressure of the fuel on a movable member, such as a piston-like member or diaphragm i movable within a chamber 52. This chamber 52 may form a part of the carburetor itself or, as illustrated, it may form a part of the vacuum tank. Or it could be located in a separate chamber interposed at any suitable point in the passage 9. The flow of fuel from the vacuum chamber 36 is through the chamber 52 and consequently the latter will be normally maintained full as long as there is any fuel in the chamber 36. The movable wall 5| is connected by a link 41' to the switch arm 48' for closing the electric circuit through the contacts 49' and 50' when the weight or pressure of the fuel on the wall lessens beyond a predetermined degree. Normally the wall is depressed by the fuel load, as at 53, to open or break the circuit by separating the contacts 49 and 50'. The response of the diaphragm 5i may be regulated by a tension screw 54 which is preferably set to close the electric circuit when the fuel level is within the chamber 52. When the circuit is so closed during the prolonged period of engine acceleration, at which time the manifold vacuum is insufficient, the electrically driven pump ll will supply an adequate degree of pressure for quickly lifting the fuel from the supply tank 6 to the chamber 36. During this period of pump operation the valve 46 will be drawn to its seat by the difference between the atmospheric pressure in chamber 52 and the partial vacuum in the suction chamber 35. However, this will not retard the gravity flow of fuel from the chamber 52 to the carburetor float chamber because of the special provision of a small bleed or atmospheric vent 55. Therefore, the operation of the engine will be sustained throughout the fuel replenishment, and when the chamber 36 has refilled and the fioat actuated valve 42 reopens the chamber to the atmosphere, the fuel in the chamber 36 will readily flow through the outlet opening 45 and fill the chamber 52.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the auxiliary source of operating pressure will only function when the immediate fuel supply is dangerously low and that at other times it will remain idle regardless of the fiuctation of the manifold pressure influence. Therefore, the fuel conditioned switch must cooperate with the pressure conditioned switch in maintaining a uniform head of fuel for continuous and uninterrupted engine operation, with the elimination of frequent and unnecessary wear and tear on the battery which might result were the auxiliary pressure supply wholly dependent upon the manifold influence for its control.

Arcing between the contacts 24 and 25 may be eliminated by the use of a snap action, or a permanent magnet, such as the horseshoe magnet 56, may be provided to magnetically hold the arm 26 until the pull by the pressure responsive member 36 dominates, wmreupon the contact 25 will snap away from the fixed contact by reason of the spring leaf 5? which resiliently supports the former contact on the arm 26.

The accessory system is efficient and tends to conserve the supply of electrical energy and thereby will encourage the use of other accessories in the system, such as the windshield cleaner which has its suction operated motor 58 connected to the accessory connected passage 16 by the passage 59. This motor may be of any approved form and be under the control of a valve 60 having a handle 6! extending to an accessible point. When the valve is slid on its seat 62, a bridging contact 63 carried thereby but insulated therefrom by a layer 64, will serve to bridge the two contacts 65 in a circuit which shunts the fuelamount responsive switch 49, 56 or 49, 56' to energize the electric motor 12 when the pressure responsive switch 24, 25 is closed. Otherwise, the manifold pressure influence will serve to operate the windshield cleaner. The operation of the windshield cleaner is therefore assured.

The electrically driven pump unit is of simple construction and is readily installed as a unit for providing ample operating pressure for the accessory system while permitting the engine manifold to effectively actuate the accessory system when it influence is of a predetermined intensity. Two accessories, namely the fuel feeding system and the windshield cleaner system, have been shown, but it is obvious that additional accessories may be incorporated since the high speed rotary pump will provide ample operating pressure for two or more of the accessories concurrently. Each accessory has its own control switch connected in series with the pressure responsive switch to effect accessory operation when the ignition switch is turned on prior to and without engine operation, should this be desired. The fact that the auxiliary source of pressure is connected into the ignition switch serves to preclude operation of the pump whenever the motor vehi c e is r ed.

While the foregoing description has been given in detail it is without thought of limitation since the inventive principles involved are capable of assuming other physical embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory system for a motor vehicle having a power plant with a primary source of variable suction and a carburetor, a gravity flow tank connected to the carburetor, a supply tank connected to the first tank for replenishing the supply of fuel in the latter, an auxiliary source of suction operated by an electric motor and connected along with the primary source for causing fuel to flow from the supply tank to the first tank to effect such replenishment, and a fuel chamber interposed between and communicating with the first tank and the carburetor for fuel flow therethrough and having a switch in circuit with the electric motor and responsive to the weight of fuel in the chamber for operating the auxiliary source of suction upon a predetermined reduction in the weight of the fuel in the chamber.

2. A motor vehicle having a power plant with a primary source of variable suction and a carburetor, a gravity flow tank connected to the carburetor, a supply tank connected to the first tank for replenishing its supply of fuel, an auxiliary source of suction operated by an electric motor and connected with the primary source to the gravity flow tank for lifting fuel from the supply tank to the first tank for such replenishment, a switch responsive to the primary suction and connected in circuit with the electric motor for operating the latter when the primary source is ineffective, a second switch responsive to the amount of fuel in the first tank and connected in series with the first switch to cooperatively close the electric circuit when the amount of the gravity flowing fuel is at a predetermined minimum while the primary source is ineffective, and manual switch means in circuit with the second switch for opening the electric circuit when the vehicle is parked.

3. A motor vehicle having a power plant with a primary source of suction and a carburetor, a gravity flow tank connected to the carburetor, a supply tank connected to the first tank for replenishing the supply of fuel in the latter, an auxiliary source of suction operated by an electric motor and connected along with the primary source to the gravity flow tank for causing fuel to flow from the supply tank to the first tank for such replenishment, a pressure responsive switch connected in circuit with the electric motor and closing when the primary source is ineffective, and a second switch interposed in the motor circuit and responsive to the weight pressure of the fuel in the first tank for closing the motor circuit when the primary source is ineffective.

4. A motor vehicle power plant having a carburetor and a primary source of variable suction, a vacuum fuel tank having a fuel chamber from which fuel may flow by gravity to the carburetor, a supply tank connected to the vacuum tank, a conduit connecting the primary source of suction to the vacuum tank for lifting fuel from the supply tank thereto, a secondary source of uniform suction connected to the vacuum tank for lifting fuel from the supply tank thereto and including an electric motor, a switch in circuit with the motor and responsive to a predetermined vacuum influence of the primary source for closing the motor circuit when the primary source is 6 ineffective to lift the fuel, and switch means responsive to the volume of the fuel in the vacuum tank and arranged in series with the pressure responsive switch to preclude the closing of the motor circuit when the volume of fuel is sufficient for power plant operation.

5. A motor vehicle power plant having a carburetor and a primary source of fluctuating suction, a vacuum fuel tank from which fuel may flow by gravity to the carburetor, a relatively lower supply tank connected to the vacuum tank, a conduit connecting the primary source of suction to the vacuum tank for lifting fuel from the supply tank thereto, a normally inactive secondary source of suction connected to the vacuum tank for lifting fuel from the supply tank thereto and including an electric circuit with a motor therein, a switch in the circuit responsive to the fluctuating suction for closing the motor circuit when the primary source is ineffective to lift the fuel, said vacuum tank including a float operated valve serving to close the suction com munication with both sources upon a predetermined upper level of fuel in the vacuum tank and to open such communication upon a predetermined intermediate level of fuel in the vacuum tank, and a fuel level responsive switch connected in series with the pressure responsive switch to close the motor circuit when the fuel in the first tank falls below a predetermined level.

6. A motor vehicle power plant having a carburetorand a primary source of fluctuating suction, a vacuum fuel tank connected to the source and from which fuel may flow to the carburetor by gravity, a supply tank connected to th vacuum tank, said vacuum tank including a float controlled suction valve by which the suction may be applied for lifting fuel from the supply tank to the vacuum tank, a, normally idle secondary source of suction connected to the vacuum tank, an electric circuit including a motor for operating the secondary source, a switch in the circuit responsive to a predetermined vacuum influence of the primary source for closing when the primary source is insufficient to lift the fuel, a fuel chamber interposed between the vacuum tank and the carburetor and having a switch member responsive to the weight of fuel therein cooperating in the circuit with the pressure responsive switch to close the motor circuit when the fuel supply to the carburetor is of a predetermined weight and the suction at the primary source is insumcient to so lift the fuel from the supply tank.

7. A motor vehicle power plant having a carburetor and a primary source of variable suction, a vacuum fuel tank having a fuel chamber from which fuel may flow to the carburetor by gravity, a supply tank connected to the vacuum tank, said tank being connected to the source of suction to enable suction of a predetermined value lifting fuel from the supply tank thereto, a normally idle secondary source of suction connected to the vacuum tank for lifting fuel from the supply tank thereto and including an electric motor, a switch in circuit with the motor and responsive to a predetermined low vacuum influence in the primary source for closing when the primary source is ineffective to so lift the fuel, a fuel chamber embodying a wall movable by the weight of the gravity flowing fuel, and a second switch in the motor circuit operable by the movable wall to cooperate with the first switch in closing the circuit.

8. A fuel feeding system comprising a vacuum tank from. which fuel may flow by gravity to the engine, arelatively lower supply tank, a primary source of fluctuating suction connected to the vacuum tank for lifting fuel thereto from the supply tank, a normally inoperative secondary source of suction connected to the vacuum tank and including an electric motor, and a pair of electric switches connected in series in the motor circuit, one switch being responsive to low weight of the gravity flowing fuel and the other responsive to low suction influence of the primary source and both switches cooperating to minimize the demand interval of motor operation.

9. A fuel feeding system for motor vehicle engines having a. source of fluctuating suction, comprising a gravity flow fuel tank, a relatively lower fuel supply tank, a power driven pump, and means for rendering the pump operative, said means comprising an electric circuit including the power driven pump and two switches in series, one switch being closed responsive to a low degree of suction at said source and the other switch being closed responsive to a predetermined minimum weight of gravity flowing fuel, said switches when closed acting cooperatively to operate the pump by closing the pump circuit.

10. A hydraulic system comprising a, vacuum tank from which fuel may flow by gravity to an engine, a relatively lower supply tank, a primary source of fluctuating suction connected to the vacuum tank for lifting fuel thereto from the supply tank, a normally inoperative secondary source of suction connected to the vacuum tank and including an electric motor, a switch in circuit with the motor and responsive to a predetermined low vacuum influence in the primary source for closing when the latter is ineffective to so lift the fuel, an accessory connected to the two sources of suction for operation by either, a valve for controlling the suction communication to the accessory, a second. switch arranged in series with the first switch and operable by said valve to close the circuit when the first switch responds to the predetermined low vacuum influence in the primary source, and a third switch in parallel with the second switch and operable by the level of fuel in the vacuum tank to close the circuit when the first switch responds to the predetermined low vacuum influence in the primary source.

ANTON RAPPL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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